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Résumé La Jugendsurvey, enquête longitudinale menée par le Deutsches Jugendinstitut (DJI), permet de mieux connaître l'évolution du rapport des jeunes Allemands à la politique et aux institutions. Son exploitation conduit à relativiser et nuancer le discours sur leur désintérêt pour la politique et l'engagement. Si on observe en effet une baisse de la participation des jeunes aux activités de certaines structures traditionnelles, leur aspiration fondamentale à s'engager reste manifeste, même si le plus souvent cela ne se produit qu'au cours d'activités ponctuelles.

Impatience with politics in Germany, disenchantment with political commitment and individualization are labels frequently attached to the political involvement of young people. Empirical analyses, however, show a rather more complex picture. A basic willingness to become politically involved and to express political opinions is apparent. Indeed, many young people make use of numerous and varied opportunities to express themselves politically, although usually no more than occasionally. Not surprisingly, participation in traditional associations has fallen in some cases. On the other hand, affinity and commitment to 'New Social Movements'(NSMs) remain fairly consistent. Participation patterns among young people differ according to gender, education level and place of origin: federal states of former West Germany (the 'old' states) or the former German Democratic Republic (the 'new' states). One focus of the article is on the differences between West and East Germany. The results are then discussed within a European context.